Finding a balance between career and creativity.

Have you ever built a "successful" career only to realize it was draining the very creativity you intended to nurture?

Artist Emily-Jane Sarroff spent a decade navigating the worlds of architecture and high-level business consulting before realizing that her most important work was the art she made for herself.

Emily-Jane shares her journey of deconstructing the "societal programming" that linked her worth to her career and explains why she recently pivoted to real estate to provide her nervous system the safety it needed to create again.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The "Disappointment" Narrative: How the internal pressure to succeed led Emily-Jane away from her creative roots after high school.
• The Architecture Trap: Why a "creative" degree can sometimes feel more technical than expressive, and the brave decision to "leap" away from a career that wasn't fuelling her soul.
• Choosing Self over Scale: Why Emily-Jane closed a successful, six-figure business to stop "proving herself" and start living from a heart space.
• “Weird and Woo Woo” Art: A look into Emily-Jane’s spiritual, abstract style and why she prioritizes creating for her own healing and expression rather than for commissions.
• Practical Creativity: How to set up a permanent art space (even in a garage corner!) and the importance of scheduling “buffer zones” to transition your brain from logical work to creative flow.

You might also like:

Rediscovering the Inner Artist with Kerry Lyons

Peonies, Paint and Personal Growth with Sally Jean Fox

Society, Stereotypes and Sparkle with Jessie Elliott

Click here to buy Samantha EJ Button's poetry collection Not Wholesome Content

I would love some financial support to help me to keep making this podcast. Visit buymeacoffee.com/creativityfound

Support the show

Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram

Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here

Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout

Physiological peace and rewiring a creative soul.

Creative pursuits helped my guest, Jaime Townzen, to overcome years of grief and caregiving stress to complete and publish her first novel, but it's not all about writing!

In this episode Jaime shares her journey from high-achieving, people-pleasing pre-med student to embracing her passion for storytelling, a transition sparked by a pivotal moment of encouragement from a college professor.

A period of caregiving and loss stalled Jaime's writing career, but a spontaneous decision to try watercolour painting during the pandemic provided her with a sense of physiological peace that years of traditional self-care could not reach, while also serving as a bridge to transport her back to writing.

Her Masters' thesis became the springboard for her novel, Absorbed, a coming-of-age story that explores themes of 1990s nostalgia, teen identity and the complexities of consent.

The conversation also touches on the importance of granting oneself grace during seasons of emotional exhaustion and the value of following the 'spark''of excitement to reignite inspiration.

Jaime’s story serves as a powerful reminder that creative outlets are not just hobbies, but vital tools for navigating life's most difficult transitions.

You might also like:

Blossoming in Art with Bianca Giarola

Tech, Translations and Storytelling with John Guiver

Adventures in all Dimensions with Gina Farrar

Click here to buy Samantha EJ Button's poetry collection Not Wholesome Content

I would love some financial support to help me to keep making this podcast. Visit buymeacoffee.com/creativityfound

Support the show

Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram

Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here

Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout

From statistics to sustainability via collaboration, community and creativity.

Kathy Kyle is an illustrator and entrepreneur who successfully pivoted from a 25-year career in marketing and statistics to launching her own sustainable art business.

In this episode Kathy shares her journey of finding her creative voice later in life and the courage it took to prioritize joy and beauty over utilitarianism.

Throughout our conversation, we explore:

• The intersection of data and art in effective communication.
• How a background in statistics and sociology informed Kathy’s approach to community building.
• The personal and professional catalysts for her move from the US to the UK.
• Overcoming stress-related health challenges by returning to a childhood passion for painting.
• The creation of her brand, featuring hand-painted silk scarves and sustainably sourced products.
• The importance of collaboration and supporting women-owned independent businesses.

Kathy offers a professional perspective on why it is never too late to "bet on yourself" and how embracing creativity can lead to a more fulfilling and relaxed lifestyle.

Find Kathy's art here.

You might also like:

Tricia Duffy: Planning for Creativity

Rachel Peru: From Retail to Runway

Joanne Robinson: From Armed Forces to Art Classes

Click here to buy Samantha EJ Button's poetry collection Not Wholesome Content

I would love some financial support to help me to keep making this podcast. Visit buymeacoffee.com/creativityfound

Support the show

Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram

Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here

Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout